Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (VCFS) in Children

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Overview

Specialists here at Boston Children’s Hospital have already helped many children, adolescents and young adults who have been diagnosed with velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS). An important first step in understanding what lies ahead is familiarizing yourself with the basics about VCFS.

A genetic disorder

VCFS is a condition in which chromosome 22q11 is abnormal, resulting in certain changes that can involve the palate and speech (“velo-“), the anatomy of the heart (“cardio-“) and the appearance of the face (“facial”). The syndrome has many associated features, not all of which occur to every child. These can—but don’t necessarily—include:

We advance care through early diagnosis and evidence-based protocols geared to specific disorders such as VCFS, in order to maximize the quality of children's lives. And we leverage the resources of our divisions to help pediatricians, teachers and parents more fully serve developmentally challenged children.